Posts Tagged ‘okinawa’
Posted on April 17, 2009 - by tokugawa
Weapons (kobudo)
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This article (including pictures) is taken from Inoe-ha kobudo web site. |
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Bo (kon)
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There are 4 kinds of Bo or Kon used in the system, San Shaku or Jo Bo, Roku Shaku, Kyu Shaku and Eiku or Suna Kake no Kon. The Bo is the main stay of Ryukyu Kobujutsu attributing 22 kata to the syllabus and its usage and posture is almost the same as the sword. The Roku Shaku Bo is the predominant kind of Bo used and attracts the main interest by practitioners. Its length is 6ft, or as is sometimes customary, cut to the height of the user. The wood used is usually Red Oak or White Oak and the Bo is tapered from the tip ends for better blocking and smoother usage. The weight is dependent on the wood used and is a critical factor for students, too heavy and the techniques become cumbersome, too light and there is not enough power. The weapon is classified as a synthetic one and attracts the greatest distance training between opponents. It magnifies the areas of development needed with empty hand and encourages Tai Sabaki/Yoko Sabaki at all times. The practitioner is taught to hold the weapon initially divisible by thirds and then openly encouraged to develop a more flexible holding style allowing full use of the weapons potential distance . |
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Sai
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There are 2 types of Sai used in the system, Tsuujo no Sai and Manji Sai. This weapon is the supporting mainstay of Ryukyu Kobujutsu and attracts 8 kata to the syllabus. This weapon is not the result of agricultural creativity as commonly written. Records from China prove its original existence although in a much more elongated form. The weapon is metal and of the truncheon class with its length dependent upon the forearm of the user. When held it should be about 3cm longer than the forearm and generally Sai are used in pairs. Advanced Sai uses 3, with one held in the belt behind ready for, and used for throwing. The tang is of the Korean classification and the pommel is variant to round, square or multi angled types much dependant on the emphasis of the makers usage. The basic holding manner “Honte-Mochi” (Natural) and “Gyakute-Mochi” (Reverse) is prevalent with basic Sai whereupon the advancement to “Toku-Mochi” (special grip) is introduced. This brings the usage and actions of the Sai into the same family as Tonfa and Kama. The Manji Sai which was made by Shinken Taira has a half reversed tang looking much like a swastika and a pointed pommel end denoting Sensei Taira’s preference to a stabbing motion instead of the smashing techniques dominant with the Tsuujo Sai.
The efficient use of the weapon is much reliant on the dexterity of the practitioner with his thumbs, which the tang is balanced and rotated on along with the loosening and tightening of the grip from the small finger for striking and consolidating power. The early use of the weapon makes the user appear stiff and robotic but as the training advances the flow and unity with body movement becomes ever more apparent. Sai is the practice of “Shuto” in empty hand and emphasizes the need for “Koshi no Chikara” (Hip power) and “Suri Ashi” (sliding movement). The importance of body movement and good footwork is ever more apparent as the weapon is of a smaller classification than Bo. Advanced practitioners must learn to throw the Sai, a difficult requirement in view of the weight. The Sai explores the weakness of Bo, thus making Bo-jutsu stronger.
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Tonfa
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There is in principal only one kind of Tonfa although the shaft varies in shape from round to rectangular. History has also shown the butt ends to be pointed but this is extremely rare. The weapon attracts two kata in the Ryukyu Kobujutsu syllabus but because of its exposure with the police in the baton form it is a very popular weapon to practice with. The weapon is used in pairs and is of wood, again red oak or white oak preferably in keeping with the Bo. The length of the weapon is also the same requirements as the Sai, about three centimeters past the elbow when gripped. The weight like the Bo is paramount to the efficient usage of the weapon. Too light and it lacks power in Kumite, too heavy and the techniques lack speed and become ponderous. Again like the Sai there are three grips, Honte-Mochi (Natural), Gyakute-Mochi (Reverse) and Tokushu-Mochi (Special grip). The latter is not commonly used but is very effective and relates strongly to the techniques of Kama. The usage is prevalent in the kata Yaraguwa. Tonfa is the practice of Uraken (back fist) and Hiji waza (elbow techniques) in open hand fighting. Good body movement like the Sai can make this weapon formidable, combining the speed it needs and generates along with the skilful footwork for evasion and attack. Although there are stories of Rice millstone grinding implements and horses bridles etc. as being the origins of this weapon, these are merely coincidental. The weapons origins can clearly be traced back to China and be found in Indonesia and surrounding geographical locations. |
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Kama
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The bladed weapon of the Ryukyu arsenal, this weapon brings to the practitioner the feel of steel and the hint of fear a live blade gives. Used, as a pair there is one style of Kama with varying sizes of blade length and shaft size. The corner of the blade to the shaft should have a groove cut into it for catching the Bo and other weapons without the blade digging into and getting stuck into the attacking weapon. The weight of the shaft is dependent upon the strength of the user and should be tapered to the butt end with increasing thickness. This allows for ease of catching and sliding when changing grip. The blade should add sufficient weight to ensure it is the heaviest point in the weapon. This also allows for ease of usage. The length of the weapon should extend to about 3cm passed the elbow when held in reverse grip. The handling of the weapon is the same as the Sai with the following grips, “Honte-Mochi” (Natural), “Gyakute-Mochi”(Reverse) and “Tokushu-Mochi”(Special grip). Kama is the practice of “Kuride” and “Kakede” (hooking and gripping) in open hand technique. The Ryukyu Kobujutsu syllabus has three kata of Kama, which emphasize body unity with the weapon to obtain power along with demanding footwork. The dexterity of the fingers is paramount to the changing grips the weapon affords and needs in kumite. Most students commence with wooded Kama to ensure safety and acclimatization before moving to the more demanding live blades. This weapon known as the sickle in the west has a derivative from the farming implements. |
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Tekko
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Legally the most controversial of the Ryukyu weapons the Tekko is the smallest weapon, bringing the exponent closest to open hand techniques. The term “knuckle duster” creates images of darker methods of fighting but in actuality attacks clearly defined points vulnerable to the taste of metal. The Tekko should be made to the width of the hand with anything between one and three protruding points on the knuckle front with protruding points at the top and the bottom of the knuckle. They can be made of any hard material but are predominately found in aluminium, iron, steel, or wood. Due to the size of the Tekko the techniques are of the open hand family. The Ryukyu Kobujutsu syllabus has one kata, which is a combination of the “Naha”, “Shuri and Tomari” feeling combined. The kumite focus on attacking the bony areas of the body such as the wrist, elbow, collar bone, ribs, and ankle. On impact this slows done the opponent drastically and allows for the quick changes of angle and height so apparent when studying Tekko. Gripping techniques prior to and at the time of “Zanshin”teach the exponent the emphasis on pressure points, which the Tekko takes great advantage of due to its structure. Muscle and bone have to succumb to its efficient design and usage. This weapon is undoubtedly not a farming implement and was clearly design for the purposes of combat. |
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Nunchaku
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The most controversial of the weapons of the Ryukyu but in essence the least properly explored. There are three types of this weapon taught in the Ryukyu Kobujutsu syllabus, the 2 section, 3 section and the 4 section. Made preferably of red or white oak, or a heavy wood, the sections are tapered from the chord end (2.5cm) to the predominant strike end (3.3cm). The shafts vary from octagonal to round in shape and the weight is dependent on the strength of the user. Again too light and there is no power, and too heavy and the movement is slow and ponderous. Traditionally this weapon is not used in pairs, as the actions of the one should be sufficient. The grips are similar to that of the Sai in name, Honte-Mochi” (Natural), “Gyakute-Mochi”(Reverse) and Tokushu-Mochi”(Special grip). The special grip falls into “Ippon-Tsuki” (single thrust) and “Tatami-Tsuki” (folding thrust). Nunchaku belongs to the family of Bo and is known as the “portable Bo”. History has not endowed this weapon with traditional kata as shown by the content of those handed down. They are by design training kata to enable better handling and combination work. The essence of the weapon is the kumite, exploring distance, angles and footwork. Impact should be on the tip of the weapon or it will bounce back on the user. Whilst it is noted that there is a farming implement of the Nunchaku design, it should be pointed out that again China was using this weapon concept long before it was recorded as a Ryukyu weapon. |
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Tinbe-Rochin
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This weapon is the most glamorous of the Ryukyu system and exudes a feeling of history long gone. The usage however is more akin to a combination of Zulu fighting and European sword and small shield fighting. The Tinbe (Shield) can be made of various material but is commonly found in vine or cane, metal, or for presentation, in turtle shell. The shield size is generally about 45 cm long and 38 cm wide. The Rochin (Short spear) is cut with the length of the shaft being the same distance as the forearm to the elbow if it is being held in the hand. The spearhead then protrudes from the shaft and can be found in many differing designs. The favored style has an expanded middle section before the point, which is twisted upon insertion to make the wound larger. The weight of the blade is critical for the spear usage, which is swiveled between the fingers to use both ends, smashing with the butt end and stabbing with the blade end. The techniques are circular to avoid too much direct contact on the shield and the short spear is predominantly used in an upward stabbing motion, piercing armour under the rib cage, armpits, and throat. Good knees are essential for the kumite along with a proficient understanding of Ukemi. The Ryukyu Kobujutsu syllabus has one kata, which exuded posturing, speed with agility, and balance. The techniques of the Tinbe-Rochin are unique to shield and spear usage. Clearly the origins of design and usage bear little resemblance to agricultural needs. |
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Surujin
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This weapon is taught as the last in the Ryukyu system of the classical eight weapons. Found in two kinds, Tan Surujin (short) and Naga Surujin (long) the lengths are about 150-152 cm and 230-240 cm respectively. It is a weapon with the essence of concealment prior to use, which can extract a substantial price from the victim. Traditionally found with a bladed instrument at one end and a weighted end at the other, the Surujin techniques are very akin to those of the Nunchaku. For kumite training the cord is usually made of leather allowing more speed and agility. Kata however tends to be demonstrated with a chain link Surujin to emphasize the potential in the weapon. The difficulty in usage is the control of the swing and the awareness of the length required in respect of the fighting distance. The hips need to be centrally fixed with a low center of gravity and the swing should be through the arm to the shoulder without moving the head. The recovery from the swing is dependent on the dexterity of the user, as it is critical to the final attack before the stab. Historically this weapon is very prevalent and can be found attached to a weapon or used separately. It is undoubtedly a weapon designed for warfare and not for agricultural usage. |
Posted on April 12, 2009 - by tokugawa
Vital points (kyusho)
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KYUSHO (traumatizing anatomically vulnerable points)
In order to execute effective karate blow, It is necessary to learn basics of human anatomy,physiology and first aid.This knowledge is called – kyusho. Kyusho knowledge was kept as secret for centuries. It includes: positions of vulnerable points, use of proper impact tool and situation which is the best for applying technique to some point. If we compare karate technique with arrow, then kyusho is poison on that arrow. Master Funakoshi tells that “quick and extremely accurate blows, that never miss the vital point, are the essence of real karate”.
As result, several conditions may occur: pain, shock, respiratory disturbances, temporally paralyze, hyper torsion,joint dislocation, bone fracture and internal bleeding.For more detailed look, click on picture.
This is not systematized knowledge, but rather empirical, usually transmitted orally to top students only. Only ancient written source on this topic is Okinawan manuscript called Bubishi. |
Posted on April 10, 2009 - by tokugawa
Okinawan journey
| “Okinawa journey”
by Shihan Anthony Marquez
Even though I was born in America, a large part of me considers home to be a place called Okinawa. I can still remember the good old days as a young serviceman walking into a dojo for the first time. I celebrated the 25th anniversary of that day on April 5, 1996. I visited Okinawa in August 1995 and participated in the Pre-World Championship, the precursor to the World Championship scheduled to take place on Okinawa in July 1997. This visit changed my entire outlook on Okinawan martial arts and, to a large extent, my future! I would like to share this experience with you and I will start by providing some background on my training and teachers. Prior to arriving in Okinawa for the first time in 1971, I was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Air Force for four years where I was heavily involved in the Yoshukai Karate and Kobudo system headed by Yamamoto Mamuro. I requested transfer to Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, and egan a journey that was to last eight wonderful years. During that time, I was honored to have trained with some of the best teachers available. My first and only Karate teacher in Okinawa was the late Shinjo Masanobu, founder of the Shobukan Goju-Ryu Karate Dojo. From Master Shinjo I received a rokudan (6th dan). My first Okinawan Kobudo teacher was the late Kina Masanobu. I met Kina Sensei through another serviceman, Robert Teller, who said that Kina Sensei was an excellent weapons practitioner. Kina Sensei was a devout Christian, the nephew of the legendary Kina Shosei. My training with Kina Sensei lasted approximately 16 months. It was a very gratifying time for me. I had many late night dinners at Kina Sensei’s home with my wife and found that he was a very beautiful person. I learned two katas from Kina Sensei, Ufuchiku no Sai and Tonfa. Unfortunately, he accidentally drowned while swimming in the ocean. Ironically, he was an excellent swimmer, and every Saturday after our workout he would go into the ocean for his daily swim. I never received any rank from him. My second and last Kobudo teacher was the late Kanei Katsuyoshi, founder of the Jinbukan. Master Kanei was the finest weapons practitioner I had ever seen. At the time I began training with him, he was the vice president of the Okinawa Kobudo Association, which is headed by the Matayoshi family. I was admitted into his dojo by a formal letter of introduction given to me by my Karate sensei, Shinjo Masanobu. Kanei and Shinjo Senseis were childhood friends. They both were Goju-Ryu Karate students under Toguchi Seikichi. I received a godan (5th dan) and Shihan certification from Master Kanei. I became the US director of the Jinbukan upon my return to the States . Again tragedy was to follow my path for I lost both of these wonderful teachers in 1992 within a period of six months. My 1995 trip to Okinawa had a two-fold purpose, the first was to take my team of 16 Kobudo and Karate students to visit my old Hombu, the Jinbukan, and see the man who is now in charge of the dojo. The second was to try to find a gentleman by the name of Isa Kaishu. I had heard of Mr. Isa and seen his photographs from my first weapons teacher, Kina Masanobu. It was my understanding that Mr. Isa was an old student under Kina Sensei. During the time I lived on Okinawa, he was in Japan training to become a Buddhist priest. Since Kina Masanobu died while I was on Okinawa, I felt that my weapons training was unfulfilled. The many accounts that I heard of Mr. Isa always stayed with me and I promised myself that on one of my future trips to Okinawa I would look The Search Begins One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when visiting Okinawa is affordable lodging. I had problems finding hotel space for our large group because there were many people on the island for the World Pre-Tournament. During the second day of the championship, I was very fortunate to bump into a gentleman by the name of Dan Smith. I found out through our conversations that we had something in common, since he had also trained in the Jinbukan. I mentioned that I was having difficulties finding lodging and he said that his sensei in Okinawa had a lot of property and he would ask if he could put us up for a few days. As luck would have it, the sensei he was talking about was Shimabukuro Zenpo, the head of Seibukan Shorin-Ryu. It being a small world, one of my black belt students, Angel Lemus from Los Angeles, is also a Seibukan sensei. Shimabukuro Sensei is a very wealthy real estate agent in Okinawa and a very kind and generous individual. He put up our team at no cost in a small double room apartment near his office. We found ourselves sleeping elbow to elbow, which is a very good way to establish a good camaraderie among your fellow students.
After the championships were finished, I was ready to look for Isa Kaishu Sensei. At the time, I did not know his first name and I didn’t know if I had his correct address. As a matter of fact, Angel had called me up late the night before our departure to Okinawa and gave me an address for Isa Sensei that he found in Mark Bishop’s book, “Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques.” I was very fortunate that Mr. Shimabukuro’s office was right across the street from where I was staying in Okinawa City. I walked into his office one day and explained to his secretary that I was trying to find a man named Isa. She then looked up the name Isa in their version of the Yellow Pages and found an address that was about five blocks away. She then asked Mr. Shimabukuro’s nephew, who also works at the real estate office, to take me there. Upon arriving at the address in the phone book, we found that it was not Isa Kaishu Sensei’s dojo or home. It was a Shorin- Ryu dojo but the sensei there knew of Isa and provided us with his home address and phone number. We called this number and to our surprise found Isa Sensei on the other end of the line. The translator then told Isa Sensei that there was someone who was trying to find him. Isa Sensei asked who was I and what did I want? Through the translator, I told Isa Sensei that I was an old student of his sensei, and ever since Kina Sensei’s death I had wanted to find someone from this weapons family and pay my respects. Upon hearing that I was a student of his teacher, Isa Sensei thought that I must be a very, very old man. It turned out that Isa Sensei was a student of Kina Shosei, the uncle of my teacher, Kina Masanobu. I made an appointment to meet with Isa Sensei the following day at 9:30 am.
A Meeting With Destiny We arrived at Isa Sensei’s home and ironically enough it was directly across the street behind Shimabukuro Sensei’s office and two houses down. I believe now that finding Isa Sensei was something that was meant to be. For not only was Isa Sensei’s house close to where I was staying, but when I went to the first address which was not Isa Sensei’s place and we were given another address, I thanked the driver for his help but that I wasn’t interested in further pursuing this quest to find Isa Kaishu at this time and that I would look him up on my next trip to Okinawa. The driver was very insistent on finding Isa for me and were it not for his persistence I would not have made this very important connection. I never dreamed that I would actually find something new in Okinawa during this trip, something ancient and truly mysterious. I thought I had seen it all. Nor had I considered the possibility of finding someone that I could actually empty my cup and bow to. My original intention was to find Isa Sensei and to simply tell him that this American still loved his teacher, practiced his katas, and wanted to reestablish a family tie. That is all I wanted to do. I really came to Okinawa to fill a void that I felt inside when my teacher died. What happened from that point on has changed the course of my weapons training. It was the most enjoyable meeting I have ever had with any Okinawan master, and I have met many of them. Upon arrival, I was welcomed into a small and modest Okinawan home, as most Okinawan homes are. Upon entering the home, I found that half of the living room was fashioned after some kind of religious shrine. I later found out that Isa Sensei had indeed become a Buddhist priest. During the next three hours while I spoke with him, several people came by and asked for his religious services. They would enter the home, light some incense, and he would offer some kind of prayer. It was strange to see him one minute talking to me and the next minute performing a religious ritual, then resume our conversation. Isa Sensei is a small Okinawan, about 120 pounds wet, has a very friendly disposition, and is very enthusiastic. There was another gentleman there when I arrived, a senior student of his. I later found out that Isa Sensei had called him prior to my arrival and asked him to be there because he spoke enough English to act as an interpreter; his name was Tamai Moritasu. He was a very educated person and very courteous. I struck up a great rapport with him and he was to be instrumental in the following two weeks in helping to educate me and my students in Isa Sensei’s teachings. While sitting in his tiny living room, Isa Sensei wanted to know what my story was. I told Isa Sensei of my past experiences and who my teachers were. I told him about my old sensei, Kina Masanobu, and that when he died I felt a void not only in my life but also in my weapons training. I wanted to find someone who had studied with Kina Sensei and establish a connection so that whenever I visited Okinawa I could train in his weapons line. At this point, Isa Sensei asked me what I had learned from Kina Sensei. Kina Sensei was also an 8th degree black belt in Shorin-Ryu, but I only studied weapons with him. I was very proud that Kina Sensei had taught me what I believed to be two very rare Kobudo katas from the Ufuchiku lineage, the Ufuchiku no Sai and Tonfa. After mentioning this to Isa Sensei, he looked straight at me and said “No, he never taught you Ufuchiku no Sai or Ufuchiku no Tonfa.” This caught me by surprise and I asked the interpreter to ask Isa Sensei why he said this. His response was that Kina Sensei never taught these katas because he never knew them. “Old man Kina never taught him those katas. I know those katas and I have not taught them to anyone.” Isa Sensei then explained to me his relationship with Kina Masanobu. He and Kina Masanobu were students of the old man, Kina Shosei. The All-Okinawa Karate Federation promoted both of them to 8th dan at the same time. Isa Sensei and Kina Masanobu were both eligible to become third generation inheritors of the Ufuchiku weapons system as passed down by Sanda Kinjo, whose nickname was Ufuchiku, “police chief” in Hogen, the old Okinawan dialect. Kina Shosei chose Isa Sensei to be the Ufuchiku family style head, or soke. Karamiti Then the most amazing thing happened. Isa Sensei asked me if I had heard of “Karamiti” . I said no, I had not, and I asked him what it was. Keep in mind that we were sitting in a very small living room. I was sitting across from Isa Sensei and his assistant, Mr. Tamai, to his left. For the next 20-30 minutes he proceeded to give me a private demonstration of this thing called “Karamiti.” He asked Mr. Tamai to put his hand on his shoulder and in a flash he took Mr. Tamai’s arm and put it in a joint lock that had his assistant in pain tapping out. Isa Sensei then pointed to his assistant’s wrist joint and said “Karamiti.” This happened so quickly that my eyes felt as if they had been deceived. I had never seen a display of speed such as this in my 25 plus years of experience. I could clearly see the expression of pain on Mr. Tamai’s face and I quickly ruled out the possibility of a staged display or gimmick. Isa Sensei outdid himself for the next half hour by demonstrating more intricate displays of this “Karamiti.” His assistant grabbed, punched, kicked, swung, and just about did every kind of attack possible from various angles. Isa Sensei first demonstrated from a sitting position, then from a standing position. Isa Sensei calmly and swiftly had Mr. Tamai at every turn face down on the floor in serious pain in one joint-lock technique or another. This man was not only in pain, but he was totally drenched in sweat. It was a funny sight to see, for he was wearing a business suit and tie and he was punching and kicking in full force. I was sweating just watching. Isa Sensei gave his assistant instructions to grab here or there, punch to the face or to the body. However, he also allowed Mr. Tamai to attack at will with any technique whatsoever. The variations he used were continuous. To do this in a small enclosure from a distance of about 3 feet, not having the spaciousness of a dojo, was truly amazing. Isa Sensei was in full control of this man. He threw Mr. Tamai around the room yet nothing was disturbed or broken. Throughout the demonstration, nothing was overdone, Isa Sensei was in complete control putting Mr. Tamai in a position where there was just enough applied pain to force him to tap out. I was to find out later how Mr. Tamai felt when these same techniques were to be applied on me. I wondered why he was even showing this to me. In all my years of training under some very notable teachers as well as having seen Judo, Aikido, Jujutsu, and Taijutsu, I had never seen anyone apply joint locks with such ease and speed and afflict so much pain in such a short time. I said to myself at that moment, “I would love to study whatever this is!” I was so impressed by this small Okinawan master that my original reasons for visiting Isa Sensei were long out of my mind. After he finished the demonstration, Isa Sensei said this was what he called “Karamiti.” I told him that in the time I had spent on Okinawa, I had seen every style available; seen dozens of demonstrations; shot hours of video; even my Goju sensei, Shinjo Masanobu, had taken me to many private events, training sessions, and demonstrations that were not open to the public, yet I had never seen nor heard of “Karamiti.” So I asked him dozens of questions about its history, others who knew the system, whether or not there was a systematic way of learning it, and so on. Isa Sensei said that it was getting late and we should make another appointment to continue. At that moment, I realized that I had told my team of black belts that I would return in half an hour and it was now four hours later. A New Weapons Connection During the meeting, I noticed that there were dozens of weapons hanging on the living room walls. Isa Sensei had sai, kama, tonfa, nunchaku, etc. … and they looked old. As an ardent weapons practitioner, I couldn’t leave without asking about them. He talked about each of them briefly and then handed me a pair of very old and extremely heavy sai and said Ufuchiku Sensei confiscated them from a bandit. Until now, Ufuchiku was just the name of some katas and a picture of a man I had seen in history books. I was beginning to realize more and more that this connection I was making with Isa Sensei was more than just another meeting with another Okinawan sensei. I felt a bond with him. I felt I could trust and respect him and, to my delight, I felt the same in return from him. Isa Sensei told me about his lineage and historical connection to Ufuchiku Kobujutsu. Isa Sensei was the third generation of the Ufuchiku line. He had inherited the whole weapons system and Karamiti. During the transmission ceremony, his sensei, Kina Shosei, had passed down to him these sai that had belonged to Ufuchiku Sensei. Isa Sensei then told me a little about his martial arts experience. Isa Sensei began to practice Karate at age three and was taught by his grandfather in the village of Shimabukuro. He had two teachers after that who were both students of Ufuchiku Sensei, Kina Shosei and Tokashiki Saburo. At age eight, he became a student of Kina Shosei of the same village. From Kina Sensei he learned Shorin-Ryu Karate and Ufuchiku Kobudo. Kina Shosei was a very small man and a soft and kind person. Isa Sensei’s third teacher, Tokashiki Saburo, was a very large and powerful man who was very strict and harsh in his training. Tokashiki Sensei taught Isa Sensei the practical bunkai for the Kobudo and Karamiti systems. Tokashiki Sensei was also a student of Ufuchiku Sensei but there are no pictures of him in any known history books. This is because during one of the training sessions that Tokashiki had with Ufuchiku Sensei, Ufuchiku accidentally cut his face open diagonally from forehead to chin with a sword. Tokashiki survived but not without a very nasty scar. After this, Tokashiki Sensei understandably became camera shy. He forbade any pictures be taken of him. Once, Isa Sensei took a picture of him and Tokashiki Sensei ripped the camera from his hands and proceeded to tear it into pieces. Tokashiki Sensei admonished Isa to never do that again, and Isa wisely promised that he would not. Isa Sensei began to show me pictures of him with Kina Sensei accepting the title of third generation soke. Then he showed me a picture of a very lovely, nice looking woman dressed in traditional Okinawan clothing posing in a movement from a classical dance. As I was looking at it, I asked myself, “Why is he showing this to me.” Then Isa Sensei told me that it was him! He told me that he also has master’s rank in traditional Okinawan dance or “mai” and is the inheritor of that dance tradition as well. He then showed me another picture and a certificate. This picture was of him and his dance teacher accepting the title of soke and his master’s certificate. A Very Serious Talk To understand what happened next, I need to explain some feelings that I had stirring inside me while all this was going on with Isa Sensei. After the Pre-World-Championships, I was very angry and disappointed. The championships were a fraud, it was the worst thing I had ever seen. There was systematic cheating on Okinawa’s part and a person had died during the competition. It was a total flop and a disgrace. Our conversation turned to the subject of rank. I told him that my rank was earned by working and sweating very hard. I asked him how he felt about people buying rank from Okinawan senseis. I told him that Okinawa had become a paper mill of high-ranking diplomas. Isa nodded in affirmation and said, “You’re right, some Okinawan senseis have sold out.” He said, “You train hard, you get rank,” it was as simple as that. What truly blew me away is that he said that no money would ever be exchanged between us. He was not interested in money for his lessons. It was at that very moment that I made a deep connection with Isa Sensei. I saw in him the old virtues that we all read about in the history books. I was very emotionally involved in the subject of this conversation. After losing both of my teachers who were truly great men, I was not sure if there was anyone left in Okinawa that I could call Sensei again. However, as I sat in front of this man who was being honest and open with me, showed no vanity about the fact that he was a legitimate 10th dan, and had shown me more in half an hour than I had learned in years, I thought, “Maybe there is someone left on Okinawa worth following.” The Karate and Dance Connection After the talk about rank, the atmosphere became relaxed and Isa Sensei began to explain to me the connection between traditional Okinawan dance and Karamiti. He said Karamiti is what Karate used to look like before it became what it is today. There were no such things as high, middle, or low blocks; there were no horse, cat, or back stances, these were things that were developed to create a system called “Te” or “Ti.” The old Karamiti was lost at the time that Karate was openly introduced to the general public. (Unfortunately, during this meeting I did not get into details with Isa Sensei as to a timeline regarding this information. This is something that I plan to do the next time I meet with him.) Like weaponry, Karamiti was studied to defend and preserve life. After the Meiji restoration and the modernization of the country, people no longer needed to protect themselves as in the past. So, because the old ways of training were too severe and painful for the average person, this emphasis was gone. People were rejecting the old ways and the teachers of the time had to consciously formulate a system that was easier and safer to learn. This has also happened in America. Very few people today want to pay the price for that kind of training anymore. The old masters had to water down the old ways and make it more consumable. Isa Sensei then began to link the old Okinawan dance to the Karamiti. He said that in the old days they couldn’t practice openly because of the Japanese ban on martial arts in Okinawa. So they began to incorporate Karamiti movements into the old dances and no one could tell that they were actually practicing fighting movements and thus were able to teach it to future generations. I had heard about this in history books and both my past teachers had mentioned it, so this wasn’t new. However, no one had ever actually demonstrated this to me in the flesh. In later training sessions in his dojo, Isa Sensei would show us a dance move and he would ask his assistant to punch, then Isa Sensei would do the same dance move as a multidimensional defense. It had a block, a strike, a joint lock, and finally a takedown. It was incredible to see a movement that was so smooth and beautiful in a dance, applied by someone who knew what they were doing, become such an awesome and effective movement of personal defense. For the first time I could actually see the connection between the old Karate and the old dance. It was a great connection for me because it filled a void that existed in my personal training. This is something that my Goju sensei, Shinjo Masanobu, told me, saying that the old timers had a form of self-defense that was now lost in Okinawa. He told me he had heard about it but he did not know it. Most if not all of the other senseis of his generation in Okinawa did not know it either. He added, we do our bunkai from a modern perspective, we did not learn the old bunkai of kata. Those old techniques died with the past generations, everything we have nowadays we had to basically make up and do the best job we could with what we had. I believe that any honest karateka today can look at the curriculum he or she has been practicing for the last 10 or 20 years and say that something is missing. Analyzing what Isa Sensei had just told me about teachers taking a form of training and repackaging it to make it more palatable to the general public rang a bell in my head. I put two and two together and realized that what the old Okinawan masters did back then is what some GIs did upon returning to the U.S.A. after their tour of duty. We (non- Orientals) have been told by our Oriental teachers that we were not to change the katas or anything else. However, they themselves did what they told us not to do. We Americans have been doing this for years. We’ve done it for lack of information or because we only received the “tip of the iceberg.” Let’s face it, most GIs were in Okinawa one or two years, and there’s so much (or little) one can learn in such a limited time. Let’s not forget to also acknowledge that as in every culture, there are charlatans, and Okinawa is not immune to this human condition. Some Okinawan teachers who had very little training sold us Americans the Okinawan equivalent of the London Bridge. Isa Sensei continued to tell me that it was foolish for today’s modern practitioners to practice 20 or 30 years worth of high and middle blocks. At face value, these techniques are not applicable in the real world. Eventually, we would have to find a way of defending ourselves in a system that was not so enclosed with such limited parameters. In later training sessions, Isa Sensei proved everything he told me by actually demonstrating every point to me. He asked me to demonstrate my Goju, which I did, and he said that my Goju was very strong, “good kihon waza.” However, he added that this was no good for fighting. So I asked him to please show me, and so he did. He not only demonstrated on me, but on the other six members of my group. These men varied from 5′ 6,’ 135 pounds to 6’6,’ 285 pounds. Keep in mind that we are all seasoned Goju practitioners that are in excellent cardiovascular condition, and are physically very strong as a result of good Goju training. After Isa Sensei quickly dispatched me, he then took every member of my group from the smallest to the biggest and did the same with them. He would tap certain areas on their bodies and these big strong men would turn into jelly and then he would put them into a joint lock and take them down to the floor. It was very interesting to see that these techniques worked on everyone, it did not matter your size, weight, or strength. I shot hours of video of Isa Sensei effortlessly applying dozen of variations of these techniques. I can certainly say now without any hesitation that the void in my training is no more. I have found what I was looking for and it puts me right back in the place I’ve been before, that is, coming full circle, I am now ready to learn the old ways, so I am a beginner once again. The Rest of the Trip I spent two weeks training with Isa Sensei. We began around 8 PM and trained until 2 or 3 in the morning. During the day, he was busy tending to his priestly duties, and I kept my other appointments. I decided to pose a question to all the other senseis that I met: “Have you ever heard of Karamiti?”The responses I received were very interesting. When I met with Nakamoto Masahiro Sensei, he said he teaches it in his dojo and he gave me a little demonstration of his form of Karamiti, but he was nowhere close to Isa Sensei’s proficiency. When I asked Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei, he said he had never heard of it. Shimabukuro Zenpo Sensei said that Karamiti was a very old form of Karate that his father, Shimabukuro Zenryo (founder of the Seibukan), was very familiar with, but he himself was not. This was confirmation from other sources of what Isa Sensei had told me: some senseis had never heard of it, others had heard of it but didn’t know it, and still others know some it and teach it. Feel the Pain Back with Isa Sensei at his dojo, he used his senior student as a guinea pig to demonstrate most of the techniques. We were very grateful to Mr. Tamai for he gave of himself freely and without complaint to the abuse he received for those two weeks for our benefit. Isa Sensei was very careful when he demonstrated on me. He used very little pressure, and I wanted more because I know that to learn something properly one must feel it. Specially when it came to this form of training. I later found out Isa Sensei felt obligated not to shame me in front of my seniors. It was very gratifying to meet someone that practiced dojo ethics like Isa Sensei. He didn’t want to toss me around so he told me to stand behind the videocamera and shoot. That’s why in my videos you mostly see Clay Allison Sensei who stayed with me when the rest of the group returned to the States. Allison Sensei was so amazed with what he saw that he asked me if he could stay after the main group left. Mr. Allison is about 6′-3′ tall and weights about 220 pounds of solid muscle. It was amusing to see him tossed around for the next week and a half by someone one third his body size. Isa Sensei was literally playing with him and yet I could clearly see that Mr. Allison was in pain every time. At times, a part of me wished that I could be out there on the receiving end. But then, another part of me said, I really don’t want to be out there, so stay behind the camera. During this time, Isa Sensei not only gave us a thorough demonstration of Karamiti but he also taught us some of the basics of Karamiti, which I still practice. These exercises show you different blocks, strikes, and footwork that prepare you for the actual Karamiti. During this training period, we also spent about half the time training with weapons. Isa Sensei again demonstrated a depth of knowledge on the proper “realistic” usage of weapons the likes of which I had never seen. He was just as knowledgeable with weapons as with Karamiti, and he proved every point that he spoke of with physical examples. This type of training made me realize that without this knowledge, any weapons training is very crude and misleading to the practitioner. Isa Sensei said that the Ufuchiku system has over 25 weapons and about 100 weapons katas. I have been involved in weapons for a long time and I could think of about 13 weapons, so I asked him if he could show me the 25 and he did. He showed me some very old weapons that I had never seen before and I photographed each of them. He said that each of these weapons had katas to go with them. Isa Sensei told me that most practitioners nowadays know only a fraction of the knowledge that is available not only in weapons, but also in the empty hand methods. Every day a piece of history dies with someone. He asked me if I learned everything that my Goju sensei knew? I told him no. He said like both of my teachers that died so young, there have been hundreds of Okinawan martial artists that took to the grave many of the old techniques and katas. This void of information is becoming greater from one generation to the next, and what happens is that the new generation of Karate instructors, lacking this knowledge, fills in the gaps with their own interpretations and passes this on to the next generation, thus the face of Karate in Okinawa today looks nothing like it did 100 years ago. The sad thing is that the old ways will be lost with this next generation, according to Isa Sensei. The Future Looks Bright This experience has refueled my thirst for new knowledge and has motivated me to work harder than I have ever done. It has also shown me that my original suspicions were correct about a void in my training. There is so much to learn that one cannot truly say that he or she has reached the top. The moment you stop training and researching is the moment you stagnate and die. We as martial artists have the burden of seeking the knowledge that is already lost and being lost everyday. I found my “holy grail” of Karate and Kobudo by meeting Isa Sensei. I learned a lot and I have been diligently practicing. I made a promise to Isa Sensei that I will return to visit him and discuss our future relationship and to do a lot of training. I will also gather historical information that I will put to use in part two of this article. Stay tuned for more!
The autor Anthony Marques sits with Sensei Isa with the entire collection of 25 weapons used in the Ufuchiku system. |
 The author, Shihan Anthony Marquez , stands in Sensei Isa’s dojo in Okinawa. |
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Sensei Isa’s living room was partly converted into a very beautiful Buddhist shrine in which he conducts daily services. |
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Sensei Isa demonstrates the use the use of the metal fan. Notice how he employs the straw hat to coceal the weapon from an opponent.
This is the kamae or defensive posture used with the Ufuchiku Sai. Notice that the index finger wraps around the sai handle.(A) The other sai which is in the chambered position is outside and on top of the forearm. |
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Left: Kanagusuku Ufuchku, born May 7, 1829, died Oct. 13, 1920 at the age of 91. He was employed by the last Emperor of the Ryukyu Kingdom as a bodygaurd and was also the Shuri Chief of Police. Right: Shosei Kina, born January 5, 1981 at the age of 99. At the age of 20, Kina began training with Ufuchiku Sensei for 18 years untl Ufuchiku’s death.
Sensei Isa demonstrates a technique of hiding the short blade of the Tinbe behind the shield. In this case the shield also serves as a hat. Using the shield to block the blade is suddenly thrust into an attack.
One of Sensei Isa’s top female students, shows the traditional use of the hairpin. It was easily removed and used as a very effective weapon.
A very lovely looking Sensei Isa dressed as a woman with makeup during a traditional Okinawan dance demonstration.
Kaishu Isa seated next to his dance teacher as he receives his masters certificate for Traditional Okinawan Dance.
The author gives the traditional dance a shot
Sensei Isa’s senior student Tamae watches as Isa Sensei place Mr. Clay Allisonin a position which he became very familiar with. |
Posted on February 17, 2009 - by tokugawa
Kihon kumite
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I would like to present our beginners program. We do not work with children, so this program is designed for adults. After brief introduction training, where they learn basic positions (age, gedan, uchi, soto), stances and terminology, we proceed to this basic self-defense curriculum. Since, we implemented this program for adults our student retention ratio is much higher. Obviously adults join with goal to learn some practical stuff as soon as it is possible. They don’t want to practice oi-tsuki/kiba-dachi for months. So, give them what they want to learn and you will later have a chance to present more sophisticated side of tradition.
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First learn how to use your fist. This is easiest. Always aim at opponents nose. It is not necessary to deliver most powerful punch in your life, too much power will only make you miss your target. Use direct (not roundhouse), quick and precise punch. Use kake-uke (parry and grab) block to catch opponents arm and then pull him in to make your punch more devastating. Use natural stance shizen-dachi. |
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Slide to the side (tenshin), away from opponents punch (neko ashi dachi) and grab his arm (kake uke). From this position kick to the opponent’s groin is logical choice. Use your front leg and do not try to put too much force into this movement. Kinteki geri is based on whipping motion. Forget thosehigh, roundhouses and spinning kicks, they are not practical. |
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Picture here shows knees kick to opponent head, but knee to groin is more usual choice. This technique is good defense against opponent who tries to grab/push you with both hands. Stand normally in shizen-dachi and when opponent is close enough burst into crane stance (tsuru-dachi). Block both opponents arms with your forearms and smash his testicles with your knee. |
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Elbow techniques are very powerful and effective in close distance situations. You must use your whole body mass to make then effective, so slide in (irikumi) into horse stance (kiba-dachi) and struck with tremendous mass. Usual mistake is to use your whole forearm and to hit opponent’s chest muscles. Use the tip of your elbow (olecranon) to spear opponent’s ribs. Use your other hand as support. |
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Sudden grab from behind is very realistic situation. Use you elbow escape. From natural stance, jerk and slide quickly to neko-dachi and deliverelbow smash, using your whole body mass. |
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Your opponent is usually stronger then you and you have to choose very carefully what you will do, because you may not have other chance. Eye poke (sagurite) is really effective and simple technique. You don’t need mass and power for this technique. Evade opponent’s attack (tenshin), parry with your rear hand and whip-poke his eyes with fingers (nukki) of your front hand. |
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Knife hand (shuto) is one of the most devastating weapons of karate. When delivered into opponent’s throat, it can be fatal. Also, shuto is used for blocking of opponents roundhouse punch. Okinawan folk tales testify that knife hand block can break arm bones. Point here is to surprise your opponent. Parry opponent’s attack and slide in cutting opponents neck with your shuto. First slide with your front foot (irikumi) and follow with your rear foot (assuming position known as cross-stance (kosa-dachi). |
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Yama uke… beautiful name, “mountain block“. This position from kata Passai is used to catch attacker’s kick. You have to be firm as a mountain in front-stance (zen kutsu dachi). Use your front arm to scoop (sukui) opponent’s leg and grab opponents shoulder with your rear hand. It is important to place your rear arm in upper block (age uke) position, so that you are covered from opponents counterattack. You have to slide in (irikumi), grab and take him down with knee scoop of his standing leg. |
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This very basic throw is called osoto-gari in judo. It is probably simplest way to throw your opponent on the ground. In many old okinawan katas this technique is hidden with mae geri. Fumi kiri is executed with leg returning part of the motion of mae geri. You will use your calf to kick out his leg. |
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Elbow lock is used by many law enforcement officers throughout history as subduing technique. This is application is often hidden in kata and appears as gedan barai. Grab opponent’s wrist and press his elbow joint. You have to use a lot of power with this technique. Don’t press his elbow with your hand, instead grab cloth on his upper arm and press with your forearm. |
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There are many variants of this technique, which is also known as shime in judo. You can use this to control, choke or take down your opponent. This technique is hidden in kata as upper cross block (juji-uke). I will describe here my favorite variant that appears in kata Kushanku. Evade opponent’s attack to the outer side and grab his arm. Quickly grab his hair with your other hand, step behind him and choke him. |
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Posted on January 5, 2009 - by tokugawa
The animal techniques of Uechi ryu (2)
| KICKING TECHINQUES
Kicking in Uechi-ryu karate differs from many other styles. The front-leg snap kick is the only kick used in the katas brought from China. It is found in every kata of Uechi-ryu except Sanchin, which contains no kicks. The front-leg kick, like the lead hand punch, is the first line of defense, as it is the closest technique to the opponent. It can be executed quickly against an incoming attacker. This approach exemplifies the “defense only” philosophy of Uechi-ryu karate. The snapping of the kick is an important source of power since the hips cannot be used in the front-leg kick as effectively as with a rear-leg kick. Front kicks in traditional Okinawan kata are aimed at the middle (chudan) or lower (gedan) areas of the body. Kicks that are normally performed by most systems with the ball of the foot, sokutei, are executed in Uechi-ryu karate with the tip= of the big toe (sokusen). Kicks with the ball of the foot do not exist in this system. Sokusen geri is the only kick in the original three katas brought from China. Like the shoken fist, sokusen kicks emulate the destructive effect of a tiger’s teeth. These techniques deliver an enormous amount of power to a small area. Deeper body penetration and more damage to the area attacked are the results. Any part of the body is a potential target for sokusen. Newer students should practice kicking with the ball of the foot for their own safety. Preparing the toes for kicking is an arduous process. First the muscles in the toes must be developed so they can be flexed into the proper position. This can take several months. Second, the tip of the toe must be conditioned to take hard contact. This takes several years. To form sokusen, pull your toes back toward your foot, tightening all toes together. Here are six methods for strengthening sokusen technique:
OPEN HAND TECHNIQUES Nukite is an advanced technique that is very prevalent in the Uechi-ryu system. It is found in all eight katas. Like a shoken punch and sokusen kick, it delivers the primary point of impact to a very small area. Attacking pressure points and soft body parts with this specific strike allows you to inflict maximum damage using little movement. Therefore, body size and strength are not a major factor for effectiveness. When you form your hand for a nukite strike, tighten all four fingers together and place the thumb firmly against the ridge of the hand. When you tighten your fingers, they will naturally curve in slightly. It is important not to let the fingers bend backward on impact. The name of the striking weapon changes as the hand is bent to apply fingertip strikes from different angles, such as kakushiken and koken. To form kakushiken, bend all four fingers where they join the hand and support them by placing the thumb at the base of the forefinger. Kakushiken is executed with the fingertips, in a forceful downward strike, like the beak of a desperate bird defending its life. Snapping the elbow and wrist increase the power. The targets of the crane’s beak are the neck, throat, and soft area behind the collar bone. Kakushiken, an advanced and deadly technique, is found only in Sanseryu kata. Koken is formed the same as the kakushiken strike but is applied differently. A large swinging motion is used to deliver this downward strike. To increase power in this technique, a scooping action is added at the point of contact. The targets of this strike are the groin and nerves in the pelvic area. This technique is effective against a grab from behind. Uechi Kanbun told a story to Shinjo Seiyu about a Chinese martial artist who visited him and discussed an interesting conditioning exercise emulating a crane. The man dumped a small bag of rice on the dojo floor. He picked the rice up, one grain at a time, with the fingertips, much in the way a bird would pick them up with its beak. As the grains of rice disappeared, the strength of the man’s developed fingertips became apparent. The visitor explained that in a fight he could apply his pecking and pinching techniques to the veins in the arms of his opponent, causing deadly internal bleeding. Uechi became intrigued with this idea and stood up, directing the man to demonstrate the technique on him. Several attempts were made but none were successful because of the extreme development of Uechi’s arms. Arm conditioning (kote kitae) had rendered the crane technique ineffective. The degree of conditioning necessary to develop these advanced striking techniques are a major hindrance in modern use. Extensive use of the Okinawan conditioning device, makiwara, is not as prevalent in the West as it is in Okinawa. A well-conditioned and highly refined animal strike may be your only saving grace when you face a deadly opponent of greater strength or determination. About the Author: Based on Secrets of Uechi Ryu Karate and the Mysteries of Okinawa (1996) by Alan Dollar and published by Cherokee Publishing. Information: Alan Dollar, Cherokee Publishing, 1001 Fitzuren Rd., Antioch,CA 94509 510-778-4400, fx 510-778-4468 email: Cherokee@aol.com> |
  The big toe kick(sokusen) of Uechi-ryu karate emulates the tiger’s bite. Sensei Shinjo Kiyohide demonstrates the penetrating effects of this effective technique on his son Shuichi, of Kadena, Okinawa.  Developing the toesfor kicking is an arduous, painstaking task requiring years of dedication. An old tire makes an ideal target.
To execute a nukite
Kakushiken (left)
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Posted on January 4, 2009 - by tokugawa
Prearranged fighting (kumite)
Kumite
| Kumite (sparring) is form used to practice techniques of kata, under more realistic conditions, in which by prearrangement between participants, one applies offensive and the other defensive technique. There should be no corrupting influence on one’s kata from sparring practice. (Gichin Funakoshi).Tsunami dojo uses three different kinds of kumite. | |
| Kote kitae
This is very important part of every training. With your partner you exchange alternatively some basic attacking and blocking techniques. Most known drill is called “sanbon uke”. Goal of this kitae exercises is to learn how to contract your muscles during fight and also to learn where to receive attack. All this you achieve by practicing basic techniques. |
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| Ipon kumite
Ipon kumite, also known as “yakusoku kumite“, means “start-stop sparing“.These are simple offense – defense prearranged sparing techniques. We use ipon kumite for beginners, so that they can practice basics of self-defense, before they decide to advance in karate more seriously. We use up to 12 ipon kumite techniques, which were all taken from various katas – fist punch, soto shuto, sagurite (hente), elbow, kick, knee, throw, elbow lock, head manipulation, strangulation, grabbing of testicles… This will help begginers to better understand advanced applications of kata. It is useless to practice advanced fighting techniques (kata), without basic knowledge of self-defense. |
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| Renzoku kumite
Renzoku kumite – continuous sparing. When practicing kata it is very important to understand movements within it. If you don’t think about application, then your kata is dead – just a simple dance, not karate. Renzoku kumite practice is reserved for advanced practitioners. This exercise is used for practicing moreadvanced and hidden (kakushite) techniques of certain kata, like escaping techniques, throwing, joint-locking,… |
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Posted on January 4, 2009 - by tokugawa
Old wisdoms
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Dojo Kun Kokoro to waza to karada o kitae nintairyokuo yashinao, koto ga Uchinan Koryushu no honshitsu de aru. THE ESSENCE OF UCHINAN KORYUSHU IS PERSEVERANCE IN THE TRAINING OF SPIRIT, TECHNIQUE AND BODY. |
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Words of Wisdom: Let anger be your enemy. Remember, an empty vessel makes the most noise Patience is the foundation upon which security and long life rest. Know well your station in life. Success is the fruit of the strong and wise. Mind you manners and your own business. Be happy without cause and make the best of what you have. The barriers of human achievement lie only in the mind. |
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Eight poems of the Fist:
Our blood circulation parallels the solar and lunar cycles of each day.Inhaling represents softness while exhaling characterizes hardness. Adapt to changing conditions. Response must result without conscious thought. See what is unseeable. *** “Words of Wisdom” and “Eight poems of the Fist” are taken from |
Posted on December 26, 2008 - by tokugawa
Chojun Miyagi on technique
‘Do not strike others’ ‘The principle is the peace without incident’ Chojun Miyagi was born April 25th 1888 in Higashi-Machi (Naha-shi) Okinawa of a wealthy family who’s business was import/export primarily pharmaceuticals. Originally Chojun Miyagi was born as Miyagi Matsu however his name was changed to Chojun at the age of 5 by his uncle whom adopted him after the death of his father in 1893. His family owned two ships which made regular trips to mainland China, placing them among the wealthiest families in the area and enabled a young Chojun Miyagi Sensei to travel to China to study the style of his instructor and develop the style of Karatedo we call Gojuryu today. However his original Martial Arts training started with his neighbor Ryu Ko Aragaki (one of the very few fighters ever to beat the legendary Choki Motobu) at 11 years old. Ryu Ko ragaki Sensei, before moving his family to Taiwan, later introduced him to Kanryo Higaonna, and he began training at the age of 15 in the fall of 1902 after fulfilling a host of chores (the traditional way of being accepted by an instructor).
After years of training with Higaonna Sensei, Miyagi sailed to China in May of 1915 in search of his Higaonna’s teacher. This was one of three trips he made to China during his lifetime. Upon his quest he studied Chuguko Kempo (Chinese Fist) in Fouchow, Fukien Province, from 1915 to 1917. He returned to Okinawa due to the death of Higaonna Sensei. In early 1917, Kanryo Higaonna Sensei died (at Nishiishin-Machi, 2-chome, Naha Okinawa). Chojun Miyagi Sensei paid for his funeral.
When he returned to Okinawa, he began to teach his Karatedo at a number of places in and around Naha, and to lecture and demonstrate throughout Japan Miyagi-Sensei subjected the art of Naha-te, as received from Kanryo Higashionna, to scientific examination. He studied the basic Go (Sanchin) and the six rules and created the Ju (Tensho) form, combining soft and hard movements. He also organized the auxiliary movements to strengthen the body through calisthenics. He organized these exercises in preparation for practicing the classical Kata. It can be said, he formulated the theory for the practice of Karatedo and organized it as an educational subject, an art of self-defense, and as a spiritual exercise. From the old Chinese book Wu Pei Chih (Army account of Military Arts and Science) published in 1636, Miyagi took the expression Gojuryu for the name of his school as it appears in the sentence: The successful methods required both give and take (Go and Ju). Miyagi Sensei was the first instructor to officially give his style a name in 1927 apart from the city in which it was practiced (See Historical review of Gojuryu), and organize a school of Karate. Miyagi often used the slogan Nanji Kyokuden, meaning to “apply all Strength, be determined in everything that one does; defeat is not the end; losing is not the end of everything.” He was called the last great samurai warrior of Okinawa because of his legendary strength and skill as well as his intense dedication to the martial arts.
In 1929 Gogen Yamaguchi invited Mr. Miyagi to visit Japan and he later named Mr. Yamaguchi the leader of the Gojuryu schools in mainland Japan. That same year 1929) he was named as Shihan of the Okinawan Police and of the Naha School of Commerce (The Municipal Commercial High School – the general education program of Okinawa). Chojun Miyagi was named Karatedo Division Chairman (Chief) of the Okinawan Prefecture Athletic Association in 1930 and became a permanent officer of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (Japan Martial Virtues Association).
Chojun Miyagi Sensei worked hard to spread Karatedo throughout Okinawa and mainland Japan, and to earn Naha-te a status equal to that of the highly respected Japanese martial arts of Judo and Kendo. To achieve this he traveled frequently to mainland Japan where he was invited to teach Karatedo at Kyoto University and Ritsumei Kan University. In 1933 Karatedo was registered at the Butokukai, the center for all martial arts in Japan. This was a milestone for Karatedo as it meant that it was recognized on a level with the highly respected martial arts of Japan. On March 23, 1934, Chojun Miyagi wrote the document Toudijutsu Gaisetsu (‘An Outline of Karatedo’) very rare to find and very technical on the almost spiritual training associated with Karatedo.
During this time he also becomes a permanent officer of the Dai Nippon Butokukai (Great Japan Martial Virtues Association).By 1936 Mr. Chojun Miyagi is truly recognized by the Government of Japan with being awarded the medal for “Excellence in the Martial Arts” from the Japanese Ministry of Education. That same year he went to train at the Chinese martial arts in Shanghai at the Seibu Dai Iku Kai or Great Gymnastic Association – Pure Martial Spirit. On May 5th, 1937 – Chojun Miyagi Sensei performed Kata at the Butoku Sai for the Dai Nippon Butoku-kai. Following what is now known as the Meeting of the Masters, Mr. Miyagi along with others who attended formed the ‘Great Japan Martial Arts Karatedo Teachers Association’ or ‘Dai Nippon Butokukai Karatedo Jutsu-Kyoshi’(1937). The first ever awarded in Japan. After returning to Okinawa Miyagi Sensei, now teaching in his Dojo again as well as teaching Okinawa school Children, creates the Kata Gekisai Dai Ichi (1) and Ni (2). Chojun Miyagi’s students primarily studied four Kata: Sanchin, Sesan, Seiunchin and Tensho. These Kata are called the Kaishu forms but the Kata Sesan and Seiunchin were actually considered the training Kata of Gojuryu. These are very important Kata and must be thoroughly studied to understand Gojuryu. As of Before the Second World War, Chojun Miyagi traveled widely and was involved in many projects to spread Karatedo throughout mainland Japan and the rest of the world. However, from 1948 until 1953 he remained in Okinawa. Before the war he had been dedicated to his own training and research, to further develop the art of Gojuryu Karate, but his purpose in life had now changed. He was intent on passing on Gojuryu, and the “gokui” (secret principles) of Gojuryu to the next generation. For reasons mostly pointing to WWII, may students of Tsuboya-cho (a district of Naha) garden dojo returned for training in in 1951. As well, new students once more began to enroll.
Naha’s Central Police buildings were rebuilt near the Butoku-den, which was torn down in the late l980′s. A bronze bust of Chojun Miyagi was put up in the Butoku-den and was moved to the Naha Police Headquarters in 1987. Chojun Miyagi Sensei instruction was not limited to physical training. Miyagi Sensei also lectured his students on history, culture, society, human relations as many senior Sensei of today do. During these ‘sessions’ Chojun Miyagi Sensei would teach the kata (forms) in great detail and explain the “bunkai” (kata applications) thoroughly. Chojun Miyagi dedicated his whole life to karate. He was responsible for structuring Naha-te (which he later named “Gojuryu”) into a systematized discipline which could be taught to society in general. This teaching system which he formulated enabled Karatedo to be taught in schools for the benefit of the young, and to reach vast numbers of people throughout the world. However, his private teaching at his home remained strictly in adherence to the principles of his teacher, Kanryo Higaonna, and his teacher before him, Ryuruko. Miyagi never awarded anyone a Black Belt. He was in the process of formulating requirements for the Black Belt however he died before he completed this. He had not conceded a sucessor at the time of his death. Leaving an unprecedented mark in the world of Karatedo and from his famous Garden Dojo and enough legendary students to carry his name into the history books of Martial Arts as the ‘Master”. Jin’an Shinzato Sensei (aka ‘Jiru’), an exceptional talent, was the probable successor to the Goju school in Okinawa, he was tragically killed during the Second World War. It is generally an excepted theory that Shinzato Jin’an Sensei would have been the obvious successor to Chojun Miyagi Sensei had not his death. Later, after the war, Meitoku Yagi Sensei was awarded the training uniform (Do Gi) and Belt (Obi) of Chojun Miyagi Sensei by his wife and daughter. Chojun Miyagi passed away October 8th, 1953, leaving his family of 10 children, wife and a great legacy behind. He dedicated his entire life and fortune to Karate. He predicted that during the twentieth century Karatedo would spread throughout the world. Today we can see |
Although, Jigoro Kano (founder of Judo and the Kokokan) began visiting Okinawa in 1927, he was so impressed with Miyagi Sensei, he invited him to Japan in 1930 and 1932 to demonstrate at several meetings. It was at one of these meetings that one of his senior students, Jin’an Shinzato was asked which 
One month later in April, 1934 – Yokoku Jihosha invited Chojun Miyagi Sensei to Hawaii to lecture and teach until February, 1935. Chojun Miyagi on Thursday, May 3, 1934 aboard the NYK steamship. The trip is also supported by business-men 
Chojun Miyagi Sensei had four boys and five girls. Miyagi Tsuru was the oldest daughter and first born. Master Miyagi taught at his home, outside in his Garden Dojo. But he didn’t teach regularly outside his own personal students other than his municipal duties (Police and education). He would occasionally goto the Butoku-den in Naha (The Butoku-den was one of the few buildings that survived the World War II battles on Okinawa). Posted on December 26, 2008 - by tokugawa
The animal techniques of Uechi ryu (1)
| Uechi Kanbun, an icon in Okinawan karate history, introduced Uechi-ryu karate to Okinawa. The Okinawan Prefectural Government recognizes Uechi-ryu as one of the three major roots of all Okinawan karate along with Shuri-te and Naha-te. Uechi Kanbun spent thirteen years in China mastering a quanfa style called Pangainoon (half-hard, half-soft). He taught the style, later called Uechi-ryu, in China, Japan, and Okinawa. Some believe Chinese health exercises and fighting forms were developed by observing animals. At that time, the general health of the Chinese people was poor. Scholars believed diseases were caused by inactivity. They observed that animals were very fit and began watching their living habits.
The next step in this comparative development was to determine how animals fought one another and who most often survived. Fighting moves emulating animals, such as the tiger, snake, monkey, dragon, and birds native to China, is one source of origin attributed to their fighting systems. Uechi Kanbun favored the more difficult and effective of these striking techniques: shoken (one knuckle punch), sokusen (big toe kick), and nukite (finger-tip strike). These strikes are symbolically referred to as the tiger’s teeth and the crane’s beak. Closed hand techniques predominate in many martial arts styles and are called heishu. There are three types of closed hand strikes in Uechi-ryu karate. They are tsuki, uchi, and ate. Tsuki means thrust and applies to all forward thrusting actions, such as a straight punch. The Romaji spelling of tsuki changes to zuki when used with another word, as in seiken zuki (two-knuckle strike). Uchi strikes are roundhouse or swinging strikes. Ate (pronounced autay) is used to describe strikes with larger surface weapons like the knee and elbow. Open hand strikes, used extensively by Chinese and Okinawan styles, are called kaishu. There are three types of open-hand strikes used in Uechi-ryu karate: nuki, uchi, and tsuki. Nuki means attacking with a smaller weapon in a poking motion. Uchi (circular) and tsuki (straight) striking methods are the same as with closed-hand techniques, however, many parts of the hand can be used.
PUNCHING TECHINQUES There are no seiken punches in Sanchin, Seisan, or Sanseryu, the original three kata of Uechi-ryu karate. The Chinese origins of this system emphasized many other striking techniques delivered to precise targets or pressure points (kyusho). Kanshiwa kata, created by Uechi Kanei, is the only Uechi-ryu kata that contains seiken punches. The literal translation of shoken is “small knuckle.” This refers to the second knuckle of the index finger, the proximal joint. A shoken fist is made very similar to a seiken fist except that the forefinger is brought forward and locked against the thumb. It is chambered and delivered in the same manner as seiken zuki. Shoken is a dominate weapon of the Uechi-ryu system and is found in supplementary exercises (hojo undo) and all katas except Sanchin. Shoken is used only to attack soft spots and pressure points, such as the throat, neck, solar plexus, armpit, ribcage, arms, and legs. Shoken is called the tiger’s tooth. This punch is compared to being bitten by a tiger. The tissue damage caused by a shoken punch is more intense than the blunt result of a seiken punch. It delivers more destructive power than any other hand strike because the force of the punch is focused into a very small area. The impact penetrates deep into the body. |
The word ken means knuckle. Ken has been expanded in the martial arts to mean fist and encompasses many fist or hand strikes. Seiken (left), a fundamental two-knuckle fist, is the most popular hand weapon in karate. It is the least difficult fist to for m and the safest to use, therefore, it is good for beginners. The shoken (right), one-knuckle fist, is more difficult to form and condition, therefore, it is a more advanced technique.
Uechi-ryu’s shoken fist symbolizes a tiger’s teeth. Notice how the thumb overlaps or wraps around the index finger to give it maximum support.
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Posted on December 26, 2008 - by tokugawa
Kata, bunkai, tegumi… (1)
LETTER 1. – Kata & bunkai
In response to some of the post on bogus bunkai and some Okinawan instructors and dojo not having bunkai that seem to be anything but block/punch.
I would agree that there are dojo on Okinawa that fall into the above category. Please remember that we are discussing human beings and the frailties and shortcomings are the same whether you live in Okinawa, Japan or the USA. I believe that Goshiki (sp) is right in relating other’s observations to him that their is a lack of bunkai understanding in Okinawa. But there is some very good reasons behind the lack of the focus on bunkai training.
I believe the most important factor was the dissemination of karate to Japan. The entire method of training was changed to cater to the teaching karate as physical exercise in the public schools. The next factor was the rapid development of karate styles in Japan. It is hard to imagine that from 1922 to 1937 there was no less than a dozen different styles developed by Japanese on the mainland. So, in 15 years you had this many people move up to the position of leading their own school. Why there are countless of us in the USA and Okinawa that have been with the same teachers for thirty years and if we started our own group we would be soundly criticized. How did this effect the bunkai of the kata ? They did not stay with the Okinawans long enough to learn and the karate that was taught in the beginning was kihon only. The Japanese had a strong desire to use what they were learning and they developed the jiyu kumite as a supplement for not knowing the bunkai. The sparring matches became their method of measuring their karate skills whereas the Okinawans had only used the measurement of being able to defend themselves and live long lives.
The Okinawans became victim to this same thought process after the war. Why ? Because only a handful of the older teachers were left and many of the teachers who began teaching after the war were trained in school karate where the emphasis was on body and spirit development. The method of training on Okinawa followed the Japanese for many years with the emphasis on bogu jiyu kumite. The training methods were changed or adapted in many dojo to improve the ability to free spar vs. actual combat.
I am not saying that all Okinawan schools followed this way but many of them did. I believe most of all the senior teachers had the knowledge of what karate had been but due to the changing times they designed their instruction to meet the perceived needs of the day.
I have observed over the last nine years in Okinawa a resurgence of traditional Okinawan karate. A symposium was held in August of 1990 after the Uchinanchu demonstrations to establish the direction of Okinawan karate. I was fortunate to attend this symposium and witnessed the senior teachers calling for a return to traditional Okinawan karate and kobudo. Since that time much effort and expense has been expended to but the emphasis on re-establishing Okinawan karate as it should be. I have been to Okinawa 14 times in the last nine years and have seen a dramatic change on the emphasis being placed on training methods.
In the late 60′s when I lived on Okinawa more emphasis was put on kihon, kata and jiyu kumite. One of the reasons was that is what Americans liked and enjoyed. Many of the Okinawan teachers made their livings teaching servicemen. Most of these men were only on Okinawa for 18 months so the training was geared to having them experience the Okinawan karate and enjoy their time on Okinawa. Yes, I know that most of the servicemen who were there on Okinawa during this time will say that they learned more than just kihon, kata and jiyu kumite and perhaps some did but those that will be honest with themselves should answer just as the Japanese should have from what they learned from the Okinawans and that is they did not even hear the word bunkai from the Okinawans. The word bunkai is not even Unchinanguchi. The Okinawans that I trained with used the term ti chi ki, which I was told meant showing what the hand is doing.
I have rambled on enough about all of this so please forgive me. The point is that the Okinawans knew and still know the bunkai of the kata. They were just emphasizing something different.
I have an acquaintenance that I have known for about thirty years. He is an 8th dan now and several years ago I had the opportunity to train in his dojo frequently over a period of a year while on business trips. He would ask me questions concerning bunkai of kata and I would give him answers thinking all along that he was just pulling my leg when he would say he had never seen the explanations of the kata like that. He asked me how did I get this information. I told him that my teacher’s father would show me during our morning classes. After a couple of months had gone by he said he thought that I must be making these applications up. He said they made sense but he knew that if his sensei (different than mine and very highly thought of on Okinawa) knew these applications he would have taught him. Sometime after this he and I went to Okinawa together and he asked his teacher in front of me some kata bunkai questions. His teacher readily gave him similar answers that I had provided even though we are from a different school. He said why haven’t you taught me this before ? The reply was that you never asked me and I thought you were satisfied with what you were getting. I believe the point to this story is that the Okinawans were giving the Japanese and Americans what they thought they wanted. Surely this must have been easy to think because neither the Japanese or Americans ever went back to Okinawa for much training after their initial introduction to Okinawan karate. How many Japanese that created these various schools ever went to Okinawa and trained for any length of time ?
What do most of the students who come into your dojo want ? What are you giving them ? How many times as we as teacher wanted our students to want more and we were willing to give it to them but they demonstrated by their actions that they were satisfied with kick/punch.
I will close for now and hope that I have not dragged this out to much. One thing I did not discuss was the thought put forth by some that there are no blocks in karate bunkai. I would like to discuss this at a later date if anyone has an interest.
Thanks for reading all of this if you did and I apologize if I took to much bandwidth.
Oh, a question for the members who attended the Okinawan Rengokai seminars.
Did you see any bunkai applications of the kata ?